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“Okay, well, keep in touch, and let me know if you need any other information.”
They ended the call, and Lisbeth cradled her head in her hands. If the conversation between her and Madeline had gone on much longer, she would’ve called an ambulance so they could jump-start her heart.
She made some notations regarding Rattler’s party, closed her laptop, and paced to the window, admiring the beautiful view of the sun setting over the mountains. Still, even that tranquil sight didn’t calm the edgy jumpiness skittering through her.
All those months after Lisbeth had left New York, she tortured herself with what could have been. After years of hard work, determination, and much scrimping and saving, she opened LLL, Inc. As she threw herself into making it a success, the daily thoughts of Samson finally subsided.
Eighteen months ago, she met Edward at an event she’d planned for his country club, and for the first time in a long while, Lisbeth felt something stir inside her. He was kind and generous, and they had much in common with him working for his father as a club promoter. It seemed like a match made in heaven. Of course, having a private plane at their disposal and all the available perks that came with his family’s wealth was enticing, but it was more than materialistic. They based their relationship on honesty. There was no game playing, no extreme highs, and lows as she’d experienced with—Samson.
No, she wouldn’t do that. She wouldn’t compare the two because her attraction to Samson was Lisbeth’s irresponsible self, whereas her relationship with Edward was mature, rock solid, and secure. With Edward, there would be no flitting from one job to another and finally losing everything like her father had lost their house.
She moved away from the windows, checked her watch, and decided a glass of wine would be well-deserved after the day she’d had. Just one glass of wine, then she’d settle into bed and catch up on the romantic suspense she was reading. Willow had brought it back for her from the Motorcycle, Mobsters and Mayhem book signing she attended in Texas. Leave it to Willow to find the sexy, smutty totally entertaining romantic suspense about a Las Vegas motorcycle club. She laughed, wondering if the author interviewed the Serpents for her research.
One glass of chardonnay turned into three, and he memories of Samson only became more vivid until the only solution came in the form of a trusted friend—her vibrator. After a simulated orgasm where she envisioned Samson in all his naked glory, she fell into an unconscious sleep where her dreams haunted her with disjointed images of Edward and Samson.
* * *
Aharsh buzzing invaded an erotic dream of her having sex in a bathroom with Edward while calling him Samson. The whole episode bordered on the surreal, making it impossible to pull herself awake.
She blindly reached for her phone and knocked the vibrator to the floor. The incessant mobile device kept buzzing until she slammed her hand on top of her phone. It magically stopped, only to start up again a few seconds later. She swiped it up, and looked at the screen.
“Hi.”
“Where are you?” Edward’s tense voice filled her sleepy head.
“In my apartment.”
“Are you still asleep?”
She peered at her watch charging on the nightstand and gasped. Ten o’clock?
“No, no, I’m up.”
“You were supposed to take the plane from McCarran at nine. What happened? What are you doing?”
“Nothing, I must’ve overslept. I’ve been so busy at work, and I—”
“Whatever. Just get to the airport, text me when you land in LA, and I’ll meet you at your apartment.”
The call ended, and Lisbeth threw her legs over the bed. The sudden movement set the room spinning, and she gripped the sheets. Damn wine, what was she thinking?
Thankfully, she packed the night before. The dress she’d wear later was at her LA apartment, so she pulled on a pair of sweats and a t-shirt, then drove to McCarran.
* * *
Alittle over an hour later, Lisbeth entered her LA apartment. She pulled out her makeup bag from her carry-on and flew into the bathroom for a much-needed shower.
Three water bottles later, her head still spun, and she couldn’t shake the disoriented feeling or Edward’s brusque tone. She knew this afternoon’s event was important to her future father-in-law. Edward insisted on punctuality, but Lisbeth was never late. Didn’t she deserve to slip up once in a while?
She’d just zipped up her dress when the doorbell rang. Grabbing her clutch purse, she checked herself in the mirror. Not bad for thirty-five minutes of rushing around like a maniac.
She headed for the door, flung it open, and smiled at her husband-to-be. “I’ve missed you.” Lisbeth leaned in to kiss him, and he gave her a quick peck on her forehead, then surveyed her outfit.
“Do you like it?” she asked, doing a little spin for him.
“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Edward’s gaze roamed over her.
Lisbeth glanced down at herself, and after the room stopped spinning, she did a mental assessment. Floor-length flowing sundress, check. Jewelry, check. Small clutch purse, check.
